This invention relates generally to improvements in centrifuges for cleaning liquids.
In more particular aspects this invention relates to oil cleaners of centrifuge type, in which a drum, into which oil under pressure is fed, is mounted in bearings for rotation within a housing and is rotated about a vertical axis by the reaction of oil jets from nozzles rotating with the drum.
In still more particular aspects this invention relates to centrifugal filter separators, based on the principle of Hero's engine, in which the oil contaminants in the oil collect on the inner surface of the rotating drum together with water, which is removed from the rotating drum through the extraction mechanism located on the drum shaft.
In still more particular aspects this invention relates to the water extraction mechanism, of a centrifugal filter based on the principle of Hero's engine, which extraction mechanism is capable of separating the centrifuged water-oil mixture, retaining the water outside of the rotating drum and returning the separated oil back to the system reservoir.
Centrifugal oil filters, using a rotating drum, powered by the reaction of oil jets, are well known in the art. In such filters incoming oil is subjected to very high centrifugal forces, resulting in separation of solid contaminants and water. During operation of the filter the water can be removed from the space adjacent to the inner surface of the drum, by the water conducting tubes, communicating with the hollow shaft. If a certain maximum quantity of the centrifuged water is allowed to collect in the rotating drum, the centrifugal filter loses its effectiveness in a continuous fashion bypassing the additional centrifuged water. If the water is extracted from a thin layer, collected at the inner surface of the rotating drum, the water conducting tubes, during the water ejection process, pass a water-oil mixture, resulting in a comparatively large loss of oil. Since it is very difficult to determine the quantity of water, at a time, centrifuged within the rotating drum, it is very difficult, if not impossible to efficiently drain the water without losing significant quantities of oil in the process. While operating the centrifugal oil filter for a prolonged period the loss of oil through the water extraction circuit may eventually drain the system reservoir, make the system inoperative and may result in damage to the system components, like for example system pump.